UN Court of Justice sets to consider Georgian case against Russia

The UN International Court of Justice will consider on Tuesday the arguments of Georgia in its case against Russia.

In August of 2008, Georgia complained to the International Court of Justice of the murder of thousands of ethnic Georgians and alleged displacement of some 300,000 people in a two-decade campaign of discrimination by Russian authorities and separatist militias in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Georgia accused Russia of violation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. However, the Court hasn’t yet set to consider the case as Russia says the court has no jurisdiction over this suit. The upcoming hearings in Hague will determine whether the court should hear the case at all. If the judges agree the tribunal has jurisdiction, it will hold separate hearings later on the merits of the complaint. The hearings started on Monday and will last until September 17.

Georgia says it has all the reasons to win the case. “We think that Russia’s arguments are just an attempt to escape responsibility. We really hope that we will receive support of court’s majority,” said Tinatin Burdjaliani, First Deputy Minister of Justice of Georgia.